Hotel Morita

The room was a nicely sized Japanese-style one with eight tatami mats and a spacious veranda. From the window, I could see the riverside hot spring town. The toilet was a small three-piece unit bath, but it had a washlet. Dinner was healthy, though the portions were small, and the hot spring rice porridge at breakfast was delicious. This is a rustic inn in a secluded hot spring town. Apparently many people, including sumo wrestlers and singers, have come for therapeutic baths, and there are photos and autographs by the front desk. The elderly owner and his wife still work here. The front desk can feel awkward, partly because of their age, so if you aren’t comfortable with that kind of experience, you may want to look elsewhere. As of October 2022, the rooftop open-air bath was closed, so bear that in mind if you plan to use it. To book a private bath, you fill in a form by the bath entrance after checking in. The baths fill up early, so it’s best to do this right away. Apparently all three baths use free-flowing spring water, but all the hot water except at Nanten no Yu, which uses a new source, is heated. The lukewarm bath feels quite cold at first, then after a while you begin to feel a faint warmth. Alternating between baths lets you soak for as long as you like. When I left, the landlady saw me off in the rain, leaning on a cane. I was touched when a thank-you postcard arrived later. That thoughtfulness was lovely.

We stayed one night, for two days, and had a really meaningful time. It was my second visit to Shimobe Onsen, after an absence of 10 years. Having both cold and hot water in the hot spring was enjoyable, and dinner was delicious. Our guests were pleased too, and I’d like to come back.

The old building has a retro feel, so keep in mind there are stairs if that’s difficult for you. The food was excellent, especially the carefully prepared konjac sashimi, trout, and yuba. I also enjoyed the rich plum taste of the plum wine, which was apparently 30 years old. The baths were great, with warm and lukewarm water and a sauna. The spring water was a little lukewarm and drinkable, and I ended up having several glasses.

The generous portions make it a good idea to enjoy the hot springs after checking in, before dinner. The food is delicious, and the baths leave your skin feeling incredibly smooth.